Remove Stains from Stainless Steel Appliances, Stainless steel is usually known for its capacity to resist rust and corrosion, making it a favorite choice in kitchens and bathrooms. However, despite the name, stainless steel also gets stains. If you own stainless steel appliances; dishwashers, ovens, and refrigerators, then you’ve probably realized that they’re hardly stainless.
Dust and grime may put your stainless-steel appliances at risk of rusting. And while tough chemical cleaning products promise to return them to their initial showroom beauty, they too can fail to live their promises. Fortunately, there are several quick and easy ways to remove stains from stainless steel appliances.
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Here are Tips on How To Remove Stains From Stainless Steel Refrigerator
Use Glass Cleaners to Dissolve Fingerprints
Fingerprints on stainless steel are almost inevitable. This is especially true if you have little ones running around touching everything in sight. In fact, fingerprints are among the chief complaints about stainless steel.
Luckily, we have a quick solution to rid your stainless-steel appliances of fingerprints. You can easily dissolve them with any common glass cleaner like Windex. Spray the cleaner on a microfiber cloth and apply evenly, preferably in a circular motion to rid the fingerprints.
Repeat where necessary and remember to rinse through and tower dry. We don’t recommend spraying directly to your appliances, as this may end up creating more drip marks and splatter residue, which will only leave you with more work altogether.
Alternatively, you can dissolve fingerprints by simply dropping a little rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth and then rub over the stains. The alcohol will help zap the oily residue and grime left by hands.
Using Baking Soda and Vinegar
Sometimes the stains might be more than just fingerprints. In such cases, you may consider using your kitchen pantry for a hardworking stainless-steel cleaning solution. First off, vinegar is considered effective and can work on stainless steel, too.
For best results, pair it with baking soda- which is yet another cleaning wonder. If you’re dealing with tough spots on a stainless-steel refrigerator, damp a thick, clean towel with distilled white vinegar.
Take caution so you do not end up scalding yourself while handling the liquid. Set the wet towel on the spot and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then sprinkle with baking soda and scrub gently until the spot disappears. Using water, wipe the area clean and dry with a clean cloth.
Using Club Soda On Appliances
With this method, first, fill a spray bottle with a club soda. Spray the stainless spot/surface and wipe the area until it shines. In case you’re cleaning stainless steel sink, set the stopper in the bottom and fill it with club soda until the bottom is covered. Scrub the sides and bottom of your sink using a clean cloth. Do this with a circular motion, and dipping the cloth in the club soda as necessary.
Add Shine To Your Stainless-Steel Appliances
You can easily make your stainless steel extra shiny and sparkling clean with one wonder ingredient: lemon oil. Simply put a few drops of lemon oil on a clean cloth and rub it into the stained spot. In the absence of lemon oil, you can use olive oil as an alternative.
Try to give your stainless-steel appliances this treatment once a month. However, be sure not to use this method on ovens or appliance surfaces that conduct heat.
You can also add shine with furniture polish. In fact, furniture polish is considered a practical alternative to the glass cleaner discussed above. Simply spray a bit of the furniture polish on a clean cloth and wipe the surface of the appliance with it.
Commercial Stainless Steel Cleaners
If your stainless steel refrigerator is scratching, staining, or needs a thorough polishing, commercial cleaners designed for such appliances are also an effective option.
Perhaps this is the most expensive method, but on the bright side, these cleaners and polishers can subside scratching and often rid stains. The best ones can also polish surfaces to an elegant long-standing shine. Remember to read the instructions on the cleaner and test in an inconspicuous spot before subjecting the entire stainless-steel surface to it.
Regular Cleaning
Water spots and old stains may get harder to tackle. You can prevent this with frequent appliance cleaning. Generally, we recommend adhering to daily wipe downs with a clean, soft cloth and hot water.
Still, aim for weekly cleanings with oil-based stainless-steel cleaner and polish. Regular routine will help combat buildups and keep your stainless-steel refrigerator easy to clean.
When cleaning, try to wipe in the direction of the stainless steel grain. You can identify the direction of the stainless steel by closing closely at it. You’ll realize the metal is actually organized into thin strips that all head in one direction. Unless there are otherwise stated, always wipe along the grain of the stainless steel.
The Bottom Line
No doubt stainless steel refrigerators are great and easy to maintain. But they do require regular cleaning to keep the stainless steel “stainless”.
With a little bit of simple routine cleaning, alongside the methods discussed above, you can get your stainless steel appliances sparkling clean with no traces of dust, dirt, or grime.
With Vinegar and baking soda, glass cleaners, and special cleaning products, removing stains from stainless-steel refrigerators shouldn’t be hard at all.
